FB gheraoes BDO, demands deployment of CRPF at polling booths

Howrah, May 13 (UNI) Forward Bloc supporters today gheraoed the BDO of Shyampur police station area, protesting the alleged violent acts against their workers by CPI(M) activists in the area, while West Bengal Cooperative Minister and FB leader Rabin Ghosh demanded presence of CRPF personnel during tomorrow's Panchayat poll.

Zilla Parishad member and Forward Bloc leader Ajoy Mondol alleged that from the day of submission of nomination papers for the ongoing panchayat elections, the CPI(M) activists had been vandalising the homes of the local FB supporters and workers, assaulting the women and hurling bombs at their homes.

''Even my father and brother had been brutally beaten up and admitted to hospital,'' he said.

''Yesterday, the last day of the election campaign in Howrah, a CPI(M) rally went to the Nabagram and Balichaturi gram panchayats and vandalised homes, lobbed bombs at property and attacked villagers in 10-12 villages and threatened them that if they vote for the Forward Bloc, they will turn the area into another Nandigram,'' he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Ghosh said ''I have lost faith in the police department in the state. It has become necessary to deploy CRPF forces in the district to ensure peaceful, free and fair voting environment.'' Mr Mondol said unless the administration ensures a peaceful environment, the FB workers would continue their agitation.

''If need be, we would resort to road blockade and not allow anyone to go to the polling booths to cast their votes, '' he said.

The FB workers had also set up road blockades in some areas in the afternoon to reinforce their demands.

However, the blockades were lifted later after intervention by the district administration and police.

Meanwhile, FB party sources alleged that their members, who had gheraoed the BDO's office, were being beaten up by CPI(M) activists.